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Article THE HAMILTON MANUSCRIPTS. ← Page 2 of 6 →
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The Hamilton Manuscripts.
the large sums spent easily on warlike demonstrations and the small amount grudgingly contributed towards peaceful developement and the encouragement of artistic and aesthetic life amongst our English people . We venture that such theories and all such censures are somewhat premature and partial , and certainly not marked by our usual
English fairness and kindly spirit of thought and dealing . It was impossible for the authorities of the Museum and the Treasury to know anything about a private negotiation , conducted entirely with secrecy , towards a much desired consummation . Neither was it possible for them to anticipate the normal
announcement of a sale , by a liberal offer , to prevent either other governments or a foreign Institution from stepping in and securing that great prize , this unrivalled collection . It may be true , as a matter of fact , that in questions of art and the like , the Government of the day is somewhat backward in
appropriating the public money for tempting purchases and literary acquisitions . Many such offers previously the English Government has , no doubt , perhaps unwisely hesitated to avail themselves of , but in this instance no blame can attach to anyone , as the transaction was purposely conducted with " tyled doors . "
Much as we regret the transference of so many irreplaceable and unique specimens of archaeological art and historical importance to a Foreign Museum , we know that , at any rate , under the especial and cultivated patronage of our own Princess Royal at Berlin , these earnest treasures will be warmly received and duly appreciated . Let
us hope that the English and Scottish National MSS . may yet be preserved to England . As a matter of literary interest , we have thought well to preserve a record in our MASONIC MONTHLY , as so effectively narrated in the Times of November 4 th , of the MS . and art treasures contained in the
Hamilton Collection . They are truly unique , as we have said before , and the real value none can affect truly to estimate . The manuscripts may be divided into three classes—1 . Those which are specially valuable from an artistic point of view . 2 . Those which have a particular antiquarian and critical value . 3 . Those
whose interest is historical and literary . Above all others in the first class must be mentioned the manuscript of Dante ' s " Divina Commedia , " written in the fifteenth century , and illustrated with upwards of eighty drawings by the hand of Sandro Botticelli . This priceless volume may , without exaggeration , be described as the most
valuable manuscript in existence from its artistic interest , for it stands alone as an example of a literary work of the first order , illustrated by an artist of the highest rank .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Hamilton Manuscripts.
the large sums spent easily on warlike demonstrations and the small amount grudgingly contributed towards peaceful developement and the encouragement of artistic and aesthetic life amongst our English people . We venture that such theories and all such censures are somewhat premature and partial , and certainly not marked by our usual
English fairness and kindly spirit of thought and dealing . It was impossible for the authorities of the Museum and the Treasury to know anything about a private negotiation , conducted entirely with secrecy , towards a much desired consummation . Neither was it possible for them to anticipate the normal
announcement of a sale , by a liberal offer , to prevent either other governments or a foreign Institution from stepping in and securing that great prize , this unrivalled collection . It may be true , as a matter of fact , that in questions of art and the like , the Government of the day is somewhat backward in
appropriating the public money for tempting purchases and literary acquisitions . Many such offers previously the English Government has , no doubt , perhaps unwisely hesitated to avail themselves of , but in this instance no blame can attach to anyone , as the transaction was purposely conducted with " tyled doors . "
Much as we regret the transference of so many irreplaceable and unique specimens of archaeological art and historical importance to a Foreign Museum , we know that , at any rate , under the especial and cultivated patronage of our own Princess Royal at Berlin , these earnest treasures will be warmly received and duly appreciated . Let
us hope that the English and Scottish National MSS . may yet be preserved to England . As a matter of literary interest , we have thought well to preserve a record in our MASONIC MONTHLY , as so effectively narrated in the Times of November 4 th , of the MS . and art treasures contained in the
Hamilton Collection . They are truly unique , as we have said before , and the real value none can affect truly to estimate . The manuscripts may be divided into three classes—1 . Those which are specially valuable from an artistic point of view . 2 . Those which have a particular antiquarian and critical value . 3 . Those
whose interest is historical and literary . Above all others in the first class must be mentioned the manuscript of Dante ' s " Divina Commedia , " written in the fifteenth century , and illustrated with upwards of eighty drawings by the hand of Sandro Botticelli . This priceless volume may , without exaggeration , be described as the most
valuable manuscript in existence from its artistic interest , for it stands alone as an example of a literary work of the first order , illustrated by an artist of the highest rank .